King's College London researchers find lateral fabella, a bone in 39% of humans, may have contributed to human evolution from knuckle-walking to upright walking.

Researchers at King's College London discovered that the lateral fabella, a small bone found in about 39% of humans, may have contributed to the evolution from knuckle-walking to upright walking. Unique to humans and absent in most primates, its prevalence has increased in recent decades, possibly due to better nutrition. The bone is associated with osteoarthritis, but its exact role and mechanics remain unclear, prompting further investigation.